BLANKET FIT BASICS
A well-fitting blanket will keep your horse warm and comfy, but an ill-fitting blanket can restrict movement, cause rubs, shift, or get tangled. Here is a guide to the basics on finding the right fit.
MEASURE FIRST
To measure your horse for a blanket, start at the center of your horse’s chest and run a cloth tape measure along his side to the point of the buttocks where the “cheek” meets the tail. Include the widest part of his shoulder, and keep the tape measure level and taut. The number of inches is your horse’s true size.
FIT CHECKPOINTS
Clare Silke, product innovation manager for Horseware Ireland, believes correct adjustment of the front fastenings is one of the biggest contributors to blanket fit, so she pays special attention to this area, in addition to the overall fit of the blanket.
SmartPak’s blanketing pros suggest watching your horse walk and graze in the blanket, as these natural movements will highlight flaws in the fit.
Here are the key fit checkpoints our blanket experts recommend:
♦ The top front strap should align with the top of the horse’s point of shoulder.
♦ The neckline of the blanket should lie smoothly above the shoulder.
♦ Fabric at the front of a blanket should overlap.
♦ Chest straps should be adjusted to where there is still room to slide a hand easily inside the blanket and around the horse’s neck and shoulder without feeling any tightness or pressure. Silke likes both the top and bottom strap fastened to the same hole to allow freedom of movement.
♦ Standard-neck blankets should sit slightly ahead of the withers—Silke recommends approximately 2 to 4 inches.
♦ You should also be able to slide one hand between the blanket and your horse’s withers. A blanket that’s pulled tight across your horse’s withers is a recipe for rubs, say SmartPak’s pros.
♦ The blanket should cover your horse’s barrel entirely, ideally ending just below his elbow and stifle. “Not a mini skirt, and not a bed skirt” is the advice from SmartPak.
Blankets that are too loose are less secure and can cause excessive rubbing. Silke advises following the “one hand rule”— you should be able to fit your hand between your horse and the blanket when done up correctly. She also reminds owners to check the fit of straps regularly, as they can stretch or ease out over time and may require readjustment.